SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT NEWS
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She's got a cheese to please most any palate
Jamie Lee Futscher is the cheese queen of Sunset Corners, reigning over a mouthwatering selection of 250 international and artisan cheeses.Futscher, a Miami native, was brought onboard at Sunset Corners Wine Merchants three years ago by owners Mike Bittel and Larry Solomon to bolster a wimpy 10-cheese selection. Today the shop offers such specialty cheeses as semi-sweet chocolate goat milk logs from Vermont (delicious with Amarena dark cherry preserves) and Swiss-made Knolle cheese balls covered in dried herbs, meant for grating over pasta. The best seller is a triple cream Brillat-Savarin coated in diced candied papaya -- great for dessert with champagne. Besides cheeses you'll find accompaniments like blood orange conserves, truffled salami and marcona almonds in rosemary honey. Futscher has continued her wine and cheese studies since earning a degree in hospitality management at Florida International University. Still, she says her best education has been helping customers figure out the mysteries of manipulated milk and introducing them to unfamiliar varieties. Displayed in three packed refrigerated cases, cheeses can, with advance notice, be brought to proper temperature for a platter of five or six varieties. On a recent visit the choices included La Tur triple cream, an Italian goat and cow milk blend with a blooming rind (great drizzled with honey); a restrained Muenster from Alsace with a washed rind (good with beer and rye bread); Brin d' Amour goat milk from Corsica (perfect with tea and rose-petal preserves sold in the shop); Spanish Monte Enebro made in Avila from goat milk exposed to a cheese mold that covers it in a furry "cat's coat" (best with something salty like olives or ham), and Rothe Kase Wisconsin cow milk manchego (great with quince paste). There are wine and cheese tastings every Saturday -- a great way to learn, and meet other cheese heads. Click here for more information 16 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EDT |
In Memoriam - Marcel Escoffier
Marcel Escoffier graduated from the Florida International University School of Hospitality and Tourism Management with a Master of Science degree in Hotel and Food Service Management in 1985. He taught for FIU since 1989 in both the College of Business and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the areas of accounting, management, food service management, and food and beverage operations control. Previously, he taught for the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Miami. Marcel worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty-five years before becoming a professor. He has been a chef, hotel controller, hotel general manager, and restaurant owner.Having published numerous journal articles and six books including co-authoring the best selling text, Management by Menu, Professor Escoffier is recognized as an authority in the field. He was past president of the Florida-Caribbean Chapter of CHRIE (the association of hospitality and tourism school professors), and served as Chair of the Faculty Senate of Florida International University. In addition to teaching full time, Marcel was President of Advanced Hospitality Systems, Inc. -- a corporation dealing with menu planning and recipe development. He is the grand-nephew of the great Chef George August Escoffier and is the grandson of both a French chef and, on his mother's side, a great saloon keeper and German chef. His hobbies included the study of comparative cuisine and food history. Please join me in offering our condolences to his wife, Shirley, and other members of the Escoffier family. Joan Remington, J.D., CHE Interim Dean Click here for more information 18 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EDT |
Iron Fork Pre-Chef Challenge at La Cuisine Gourmet
Monday night, New Times held its pre-chef challenge for Iron Fork at La Cuisine Gourmet in Coral Gables. The finalists earned a spot at the main Iron Fork event in October.
Click here for more information 17 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EDT |
The torch has been passed
Florida International University's fifth president, Mark B. Rosenberg, took the oath of office today, the pinnacle of a journey that has taken him from an assistant professor at a nascent two-year institution on the edge of the Everglades to the presidency of the same institution, now a major public research university serving as an economic and innovation engine for a global and dynamic city.
Click here for more information 31 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EDT |
Welcome Joan Remington, Interim Dean
As School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Dean Joseph West vacates his two roles, Associate Dean Joan Remington steps in to replace him as the school's interim dean. Associate professor Steven Moll will serve as BBC's interim vice provost.Remington will step into the position vacated by Dean Joseph West, who last year postponed his resignation to continue for an additional year in that role. Click here for more information 24 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Chef Stu Shaw '88 - Chef Stu Shaw '88 - MiamiPersonalChefs.com
Chef Stu Shaw '88 was a yacht chef for 15 years prior to enrolling in the School of Hospitality Management at FIU in 1984. After graduating he started a company, MiamiPersonalChefs.com, serving professional athletes, celebrities and "the rich & famous" in their homes, their businesses and on their yachts in South Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Some of his recent clients are professional boxers, mixed martial arts competitors, NFL, NBA and Olympic athletes. Over the years he has trained a number of chefs.
Click here for more information 4 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Classmates came together for a reunion and a motorcycle trip
Classmates came together for a reunion and a motorcycle trip. On the left is Jeffrey Brown '83, Director of Marketing, Warner Springs Ranch, Warner Springs, California and Olivier Masson '83, Regional Vice President and General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Cairo, Cairo, Egypt resting during a motorcycle tour of the California Coast and Lake Tahoe in 2008. Olivier is married to classmate Nanette '83.
Click here for more information 2 May 2009 09:15:00 EDT |
FIU professor reaches out to China (and blogs about it)
Professor Barry Gump has taught wine appreciation for three decades, to college students in California and, now, at Florida International University. He may need all that experience in his new gig -- teaching tasting, analysis and appreciation to college students in China.The Chinese are known for their sweet plum wine and for a dozen excellent brands of beer. But when it comes to fine wine? Well, network TV coverage of last year's Olympics in Beijing indicated that, since the Chinese prefer their drinks sweet, they were cutting expensive Bordeaux and other dry Western wines with Coca-Cola. Good luck, Barry. Click here for more information 9 Apr 2009 09:15:00 EDT |
A Class Act in Noon Dining
Making lunch plans with a friend is one of those luxuries we cannot and should never do without. Lunch with a friend who will listen and who loves you unconditionally should never be exchanged for a sandwich at the desk. And finding the right place to hang and to catch up, to eat a meal that is leisurely served by professional staff without feeling like it's a splurge can be a challenge. However, a place did come to mind that happened to be between our two locations—me in Miami, and she in Miramar-and that fit the above criteria.
Click here for more information 1 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Peru Spring Break 2009
I had a great time in Peru, I learned about the culture that there is in Peru, I learned about the history that the Peruvians have kept as the main ideals for the future life. The people were very helpful with everything, they wanted you to have a great time and understand who and what they are. The food of Peru was very delicious, the Chifa (chinese food) was so wonderful; better than the chinese food here at the states. I tried the Chicha Morarda which is the liquid of the boiled purple corn that you can drink. Also, to have a homie like feel I had to taste the coke. To my surprise the coke was not the same it tasted like it had more sugar to it. What I did have that is also from the Coca-Cola company bought Inca Cola,it has a some-what pineapple taste but was really great. The atmosphere of Peru was wonderful, with the tours that we were on I learned many new things about Peru that I did not expect to learn. To me Peru is not just about Machu Picchu but about the culture and history that you learn from the people of Peru. When I went to Machu Picchu it was as if I was at another world. I couldn't imagine what people could have created such a peaceful place. It felt as if negative energy was taken off of my shoulder. If I get another chance I would go back to Peru again and experience the whole thing all over again.Tiffany M. Kennedy Student Associate Coordinator Click here for more information 31 Mar 2009 09:15:00 EDT |
Distinguished Alumni Award
Richard Brilliant received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the FIU Alumni Association at the torch Award Gala. Richard has brought honor and distinction to the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management through his notable record of service and achievement. Richard is vice president and chief audit executive for Carnival Cruise Lines where he manages an international team of more than 50 professionals and reports directly to the Audit committee of the Board of Directors. Richard Brilliant is vice president and chief audit executive for Carnival Cruise Lines where he manages an international team of more than 50 professionals and reports directly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. He joined Carnival Corporation in 1994 as a member of the Carnival Cruise Lines Audit Services group where he performed various operational and financial reviews to improve organizational effectiveness, efficiency and internal controls. During his time at Carnival, he has been credited with designing and implementing the corporation’s global Sarbanes-Oxley compliance program, managing various special projects and implementing the Enterprise Risk Management framework. Previous to Carnival, Brilliant worked in the hospitality and consulting services group of Kenneth Leventhal & Company, a position he obtained while earning his master's degree from FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Currently a resident of Hollywood, FL, with his wife and three children, Brilliant continues to be active with FIU and serves on the Board of Directors of the FIU Foundation.
Click here for more information 11 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Outstanding Faculty Award
At the 8th Annual Torch Awards Gala on Saturday, February 28, 2009, Associate Dean Rocco M. Angelo received the FIU Alumni Association's Outstanding Faculty Award. The award is presented to a faculty member who has made a lasting impression on the lives of FIU alumni. The FIU Alumni Association established the Torch Awards to honor successful individuals who have had a positive impact on their profession and the community. Congratulations.
Click here for more information 7 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT |
SoBe Wine Fest: Scenes from the Grand Tasting
Festivalgoers at the Grand Tasting Village were often torn between lining up for food and drinks and catching chef demos by personalities like Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse and Rachael Ray.Gourmet groupies stood in line for book signings and in overflow crowds at demos, on edge for every word about searing scallops or chopping shallots. Florida International University student Eli Weil said it was a thrill to meet so many well-known chefs. 'You see them here and realize they're just normal people.' Click here for more information 23 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
SoBe Wine Fest: Dinner down on the farm
Florida International University president Modesto 'Mitch' Maidique was among the guests. Maidique said he was thankful the festival has grown from a modest fundraiser 10 years ago into a major moneymaker for FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Festival organizers said they expect to raise about $1.9 million for the school through this year's event, which ends Sunday.
Click here for more information 23 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
F.I.U. Students Take Over Convention Center Kitchen for South Beach Wine and Food Prep
More than 150 hospitality-not culinary-students from Florida International University gathered at the Miami Beach Convention Center as early as 8:00 a.m. yesterday to start food prep for two of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival's biggest culinary events: BubbleQ and the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. Just a mere 48 hours before 3,000 plus hungry guests flock to the sands behind the Delano hotel for BubbleQ on Friday, students-under the direction of chef-instructor Michael Moran-took on the responsibility of getting everything ready for the 26 participating chefs.
Click here for more information 20 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Deborah L. Natansohn Foundation
The Deborah L. Natansohn Foundation is thrilled to award $2000.00 scholarships to three outstanding women students at FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Caroline Karlberg (left), Roshni Rampersand (center), and Bianca Rojas (right) impressed our interview committee with their leadership skills, energy, initiative, and a passion for the industry that typified Debbie Natansohn's own zest for life. Like Debbie, these students are certain to be groundbreakers in their chosen fields and set an example for other women to follow. Caroline gave up a promising career on Wall Street to pursue her passion in hotel management, showing tremendous confidence and courage. Roshini is pursuing her dream of becoming a world class pastry chef, a traditionally male-dominated field, and her persistence and initiative led to an internship with renowned Chef Geordi at the Ritz-Carlton. And Bianca, like Debbie a first-generation American, will be the first in her family to complete a masters degree and has already proven her leadership and talent for event planning in her role as team leader for the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival Bubble Q event, proceeds from which benefit the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The Board of Directors of the Deborah Natansohn Foundation congratulates the scholarship winners and wishes them well as they pursue their individual paths to professional and personal success.
Click here for more information 16 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Winnie Tseng - FIU Golden Dazzlers 
My name is Winnie Tseng. I'm 19 years old, born and raised in Miami, FL.. I'm a 2nd year member of the FIU Golden Dazzlers Dance Team. I speak 3 languages (English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese). I'm a sophomore. Planning to enter to hotel industry, though I'm not quite sure yet. I just began studying Hospitality so I'm open to all the different industries but I love it so far!! And yes I mentioned in my video that my dream job is to be a manager at a 5 star hotel. ? Before I entered college I wanted to be a teacher but I felt like it didn't' really suite me. I worked in a restaurant for almost 2 years and I really love working with people and giving service, so what better industry than hospitality?!The FIU Golden Dazzlers are the dance team at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. The team consists of 19 dancers that perform at all men and women basketball games, all football games, pep rallies, Moonlight Madness , Freshman Convocation and many other school/community events. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUvtWhF_fYc Click here for more information 12 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EDT |
Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the "OX"
The Chinese students of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at FIU celebrated Chinese New Year--the Year of "OX" on Saturday, January 24. Dr. Zhao created a menu of 16 dishes and several of them were selected from the Beijing Olympic Chinese menu. He organized a team of Chinese students to prepare the dishes and the Party. Some of the faculty and administrators participated in the Party. The Chinese students wish to thank the school for hosting and sponsoring this Party.
Click here for more information 26 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EDT |
Cirque du Soleil
Studying Hospitality Management is not only fun, but can also have fun rewards for top performance! Professor Buschman's "Fundamentals of Hospitality Management" class concluded the Fall 2008 Semester in a very special way. For their Final Exam, eight teams of students were given the assignment to verbally present their analyses of "Cirque du Soleil". The students' presentations were based on their interpretations of the Harvard Business School Case Study that centers on the challenge of searching out and hiring talented performers around the world for the hugely successful Cirque. As an added incentive, it was announced that the winning team would be able to meet the Cirque's performers via BACKSTAGE PASSES to the show "Corteo" which had been performing in Miami last semester.The final exam consisted of the students delivering their analyses and recommendations to the Cirque's "Board of Directors" which were role-played by FIU HTM professors Donald Rosellini, He Wei, and Kun Yang. Joining them was Mr. Albert Tamayo, a graduate of our Masters program, Cirque aficionado, and the person responsible for arranging the backstage visits. Teams were graded by the "Board" on a 3-part rubric, and the winning team was invited the next weekend to the dressing and staging areas of the show where they got to know many of the performers and could ask them questions about the many things they had learned while studying the case. Pictured are winning team students Natasha Iannone, Carmen Fu Yu, and Loreta Blanco, with newly-befriended Cirque du Soleil performers. Click here for more information 15 Jan 2009 09:15:00 EDT |
Peter van Voorst Vader '77 - CEO of Latinamerica Hotel
Peter van Voorst Vader '77 is currently the CEO of Latinamerica Hotels based in Brazil. The company operates 26 hotels with 3000 rooms in Brazil under a license agreement with the Golden Tulip brand. Golden Tulip is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Peter said they plan to double the number of rooms by 2009. He is still on the board of Bob's, a 600 unit fast food restaurant chain in Brazil that he once led as the president of the company.
Click here for more information 8 Dec 2008 09:15:00 EDT |
Keith Pierce '83 - Wyndham's Pierce to set Hotel Group strategy
PARSIPPANY, NJ-Wyndham Hotel Group has seen a number of changes on its executive roster over the past several weeks. While the departure of CEO Steve Rudnitsky has been the most publicized of those changes, the company has also done a bit of reshuffling to better prepare it for the years ahead, including the promotion of Keith Pierce from group president to president of brand operations for the Americas.
Click here for more information 24 Nov 2008 13:05:00 EDT |
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Robert Werk '87 - Gordon Biersch tailors company practices to Gen Y needs
(Nov. 10, 2008) Management styles were different 30 years ago, when Robert Werk started out as a busboy in the restaurant industry. The demanding, tough-guy manager who worked six days a week wouldn't survive long among today's Generation Y employees, said Werk, who now is chief operating officer of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, the Chattanooga, Tenn.-based multiconcept operator of 37 restaurants, including the namesake Gordon Biersch brewpubs and Big River Grille & Brewing Works.
Click here for more information 24 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EDT |
Florida International University Celebrates Carnival Cruise Lines gift to Hospitality and Tourism Management
President and Mrs. Modesto A. Maidique and Dean Joseph West invited leaders from Carnival Cruise Lines to his home on October 30, 2008 to celebrate their gift. The generous Carnival gift will be used to create the Carnival Student center, a multi-purpose facility where students can meet, work on group projects, consult with academic advisors, and interact with representatives from the industry. In addition their gift will establish the Carnival Cruise Line Scholarship Fund, a perpetual endowment in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to benefit both undergraduate and graduate students.
Click here for more information 13 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EDT |
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation Scholars
Mr. Tom Pas, CHAEF's Chairman Board of Trustees, visited with CHAEF's scholarship recipients at an FIU Hospitality Luncheon. Scholarship recipients are left to right: Junelle Ernest, Maxine Pierre, Sonia Beharry and Kelly Ann Williams.
Click here for more information 13 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EDT |
FIU kindled 'raging passion'
You could headline this column: "(Sort of) local girl makes good."Born in Pennsylvania, Stephanie Honig spent her formative years in her mother's native Argentina, then came to Miami (she was Stephanie Harwitz then) to earn a hospitality management degree at Florida International University. At the same time, she worked at Crown Wine & Spirits' Coral Gables shop with FIU wine professor Chip Cassidy, a mentor who kindled her "raging passion for wine." In 2000 she moved to New York to work for Cliquot and Rudd Winery, but selling wine wasn't enough. In 2005, she pulled her savings from the bank and returned to Argentina, where she cast her lot with the Domingo Brothers, who grow the ancient but little-known grape torrontes in the country's far northwest. She worked out a blend with them, brought back samples and presold it so she could import a full shipping container of bottles. Click here for more information 06 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EDT |
South Florida food on the cheap
When your pocketbook is slim, fancy lunches and dinners out are among the first things to go. But don't give them up just yet. Affordable fine-dining options, cooked and served by student chefs, await you at South Florida's culinary and hospitality schools.These aren't college cafeterias, by any means. In most cases, they look and feel like real restaurants, and in every case the price is a deal given the quality and quantity of the food. Hospitality students at Florida International University in North Miami cook and serve a weekly three-course lunch -- complete with white tableclothes, candles and sangria -- for $15. Click here for more information 24 Oct 2008 08:30:00 EDT |
FIU takes first place in rib cook-off
Papaya-glazed ribs and a mojito shooter with coconut rum drove hospitality management students to first place in a rib cook-off.Presented by the American Institute of Wine & Food - South Florida Chapter, a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to educate the community and create cultural awareness of fine food and wine, the Grand Western's Third Annual Tri-Country Rib Cook-Off took place Oct. 12 at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood. Five different culinary schools in South Florida were chosen by the AIWF to compete for a $1500 scholarship and trophy, according to Phyllis Festinger, AIWF-South Florida executive director, who also hosted the event. The FIU team, composed by Vincent Tien, Arthur Mindermann, Andres Villanoba, and Bianca Rojas, all teaching assistants in hospitality management, was guided by Chef Michael Moran, chef instructor in hospitality management. They competed against teams from the Florida Culinary Institute Palm Beach, Johnson & Wales University, Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts Miami. Click here for more information 22 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EDT |
Frank van der Post BS, MS '84
Congratulations to Frank van der Post BS, MS '84 who has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the Jumeirah Group and has moved to the Jumeirah headquarters office in Dubai.
Click here for more information 16 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT |
A World Class Partnership - Carnival Cruise Lines pledges $900,000 to the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management has brought on board Carnival Cruise Lines in its efforts to meet the demand for globally oriented hospitality and tourism programs.In May, Carnival Cruise Lines pledged a $900,000 gift to the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management for a student center and scholarships. The gift's total impact will be $1.6 million after it is matched with $700,000 by the state of Florida. "FIU is a vital and important part of our community," said Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, which is headquartered in Miami. Click here for more information 15 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EDT |
V.I.P. - Very Important Panthers - Philip Goldfarb
President and chief operating officer of Turnberry Associates Real Estate Development and Property Management. "Engaged alumni are vital to the ongoing strength and development of FIU. As a member of the Industry Advisory Board I am a liaison to the university's administration on matters related to the School of Hospitality's direction, in addition to alumni relations and communications. As a hotelier, I was given the opportunity to speak to the 2007 graduating class when I was presented the FIU Medallion at Commencement and share my experiences with our industry's future leaders. And as a SoBe sponsor it gives me great personal and professional satisfaction to see our student body afforded the opportunity to work side by side with the finest talent in what is now the most prestigious wine and food festival in the country." Click here for more information 15 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EDT |
Juan Gomez '99 - Alumnus becomes the first Mexican to earn the prestigious title of "Master Sommelier"
Juan Gomez '99 grew up in the small town of Campeche in the south of Mexico, where family celebrations called for toasts with beer and tequila.Today, though, 39-year-old Gomez's drink of choice is wine, especially dry roses, sauvignon blancs from New Zealand and pinot noirs. As one of three master sommeliers, the title given to wine experts in the restaurant industry, working at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Gómez is held to the highest standards by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Only 96 professionals hold that title in North America. Fewer than 50 candidates apply each year, and only about 5 percent of them earn the designation. It was at The Breakers – a AAA 5-Diamond luxury hotel with eight restaurants and eateries – that this graduate of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management came to really learn about and appreciate a fine wine. Like most success stories, his begins at the bottom of the barrel. Click here for more information 15 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EDT |
An Olympic Task
When Beijing won its bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics back in 2001, millions of Chinese hailed the opportunity to welcome the world. One problem: The country did not have a good track record with welcomes.
China's hospitality industry had retained some uniquely socialist characteristics. Tour offerings tended toward the dull. Restaurants were overstaffed, but waiters inattentive. Housekeepers sometimes woke guests up to clean.
"China was just emerging into capitalism," explains Joseph J. West, dean of Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. "But it was about to become the largest tourism country in the world."
Click here for more information 28 Aug 2008 15:25:00 EDT |
A Recent Alumna's Story - Diana Beltran '07
Diana Beltran '07 - While at FIU I was awarded the Hyatt Minority scholarship and was invited to stay at the Grand Hyatt NY, meet some of the Hyatt Corporate Directors and attend the annual Hotel Motel Show. During this time I fell in love with the monstrous property as well as the Hyatt attitude and culture. I then was given the opportunity to interview for the CMT program. I started my Corporate Management Training program at the Grand Hyatt New York in August 2007 with a concentration in sales. For the first 3 months I worked closely with all the departments during my rotation. Then I concentrated on international sales for the last 4 months of my program.
Click here for more information 13 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT |
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Meal deal: Florida International University plays role in Olympics
As tens of thousands of athletes chow down on steamed dumplings, baked lasagna or even kosher foods at the Olympic Village in Beijing this month, few may recognize the role of Florida International University in providing their meals. Professor Jinlin Zhao, of FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, serves as training manager for the caterer, Aramark Corp. of Philadelphia. He's prepped 600 students from FIU's 2-year-old China program to help offer as many as 100,000 meals a day at the Village.
Click here for more information 4 Aug 2008 08:35:00 EDT |
CCTV (China) - I am a part of the Olympic Games" with Dr. Jinlin Zhao
Jinlin Zhao did not change his purpose of accumulating experience to work in Athens. He took detailed notes when he worked for Athens Olympic during a 50-day period. In 2008, Jinlin zhao, who was approximately in his sixties, came back to Beijing as promised with abundant Olympic menus and F&B management documents that were elaborately collected and classified during a number of years. He became the manager of F&B service training program for Beijing Olympic Games. Jinlin Zhao had to give up almost all of his personal time in order to complete a pressing job—to train 6000 students within four months. He needed to visit several universities in Beijing and compile practical teaching material for students after a nine-hour lecture everyday. When he tried to devoting himself in working, Dr. Zhao’s students also got together from far and near for assisting their teacher in serving the Olympic Games. When the Beijing Olympic Games open we will see those busy F&B volunteers serving in the five non-agonistic venues for Beijing Olympic Games.
Click here for more information 22 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EDT |
With FIU Partnership China Looks To WESTERNIZE HOSPITALITY
TIANJIN, CHINA - Recognizing that a major gap existed between the hospitality training provided to China's student and the level of service expected by the ever-increasing number of Western travelers to the country. Chinese government official in 2003 asked Florida International University (FIU) to help bridge that gap. FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management agreed to open a satellite program in Tianjin, and it celebrated the commencement of its first 29 graduates this spring.
Click here for more information 22 Jul 2008 13:15:00 EDT |
Prof. Jinlin Zhao's 2008 Beijing Olympics News
Prof. Jinlin Zhao's 2008 Beijing Olympics travel photos. See what Prof. Zhao's been up to in China. Click here for more information 15 Jul 2008 09:15:00 EDT |
MGM Mirage Joint Ventures with a Chinese Company to Build a Non-gaming 350-room MGM Grand Hotel in the Industrial Port City of Tianjin, China
LAS VEGAS, June 18, 2008 - MGM MIRAGE Hospitality, a subsidiary of MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM), along with its joint venture partner Diaoyutai State Guesthouse today announced that they have executed definitive agreements with Sinosteel International Plaza Co., Ltd. to provide development and management services for a major mixed use project in Tianjin, China. The project, to be called "Sinosteel International Plaza" will be built in two phases, and will consist of two towers, including luxury hotel, residential, conference and office components. Diaoyutai/MGM Grand Hotel Management Co., Ltd. ("Diaoyutai/MGM Grand") will develop and operate in the 88 floor main tower a 350 key luxury hotel, to be called "MGM Grand Tianjin," a 50 suite "Skylofts at MGM Grand," and 60 luxury MGM Grand condominium residences, together with related spa, restaurant and ancillary facilities.
Click here for more information 2 Jul 2008 08:05:00 EDT |
The Kovens Conference Center joins the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
The Kovens Conference Center joins the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. More information to come.Click here for more information 1 Jul 2008 16:45:00 EDT |
Lee C. Dickson named 'Tourism Professional of the Year' by Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
Lee C. Dickson, recently retired associate dean at Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, was named 2008 Tourism Professional of the Year by the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT). The awards ceremony took place June 26th aboard the Carnival Imagination. The annual Tourism Professional of the Year award honors a community leader who has shown dedication and commitment to improving the tourist experience in South Florida. AOHT is a member of the nonprofit National Academy Foundation, which supports partnerships between business and public schools to create career academies. The GMCVB extends it warmest congratulations to Dean Dickson.
Click here for more information 30 Jun 2008 10:50:00 EDT |
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FIU hospitality classes in China reset polite policy
MIAMI - Lu Peng of Florida International University frequently travels to China to teach students there the Western hotel and hospitality business.
But he has a persistent problem.
"You have to get them to stop bowing all the time," Lu says of Chinese hotel workers. "In China, whenever anyone bows to you, you are expected to bow back. But when the busy CEO of an international company has to bow 20 times between his car and his room, he loses too much time. We have to teach them that being too polite, overdoing it, is not a good thing.
Click here for more information 23 Jun 2008 15:10:00 EDT |
The Food Festival Booker, Catering to Star Chefs
ON a morning early this spring, Lee Brian Schrager phoned Kimberly Yorio, a publicist who works with chefs. Ms. Yorio had been trying to figure out how to promote a client's book, and she used the occasion of the call to ask about the New York City Wine and Food Festival that Mr. Schrager was planning for October.
HE'S THE MAN Lee Schrager with Rachael Ray.
"Would you consider doing something with Ferran Adrià?" she recalls saying.
Mr. Schrager laughed. Mr. Adrià is the probably the most celebrated chef in the world. People fly to El Bulli in Spain from the other side of the planet. Who wouldn’t want him?
Click here for more information 12 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT |
Cooking with FIU
FIU Chef School of Hospitality chef and Instructor Mike Moran serves up Asian-influenced shrimp and rice.Click here for more information 11 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EDT |
Food Events: A School Lunch You'll Love to Eat
FIU Hospitality School is a local, somewhat hidden, gem. The school is largely responsible for the South Beach Food & Wine Festival and is a highly regarded hospitality school.
The hospitality students hone their craft at a working on-campus restaurant which is open to the public weekly throughout the academic year. They take turns working the kitchen and the front of the house. Chef Mike Moran oversees the students at both the restaurant and the South Beach Food and Wine Festival. He will usually visit diners at the lunch, and he radiates with pride for his students.
Click here for more information 03 Jun 2008 08:55:00 EDT |
Zhao Jinlin: Cooking my way to my Olympic dream
My name is Zhao Jinlin. I am 57 years old. I have a doctorate in hotel, restaurant and tourism management. I am presently serving as the project training manager for Beijing Olympic catering services. I am also the director of the post-graduate department of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management of the Florida International University and a tenured professor of two U.S. universities. The restaurant business has allowed me to participate in three Olympic Games and bond with the Olympics. As a Chinese person living in the U.S., it's a particular pleasure for me to serve the Beijing Olympics. With the Olympics drawing near, the atmosphere surrounding the Games in Mongolia is as excited as that in China. As people from a friendly neighboring country of China, Mongolians have great expectations and strong enthusiasm for the upcoming Games. Mongolian athletes are going all out to prepare for the Olympics, and ordinary residents are also eager for the grand event.
Click here for more information 02 Jun 2008 13:35:00 EDT |
Life after College (WSVN Channel 7)
The job market for recent college graduates is more competitive than ever. Landing that first job can be a daunting task, but there are somethings you can do to ensure success. Lynn Martinez explains in todays Parent to Parent. Christy Brown has a reason to be proud. Only a week after graduating from FIU School of Hospitality, she landed a great job.
Click here for more information 29 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Alumni News
Heather Welker '08 has been recruited by MGM Mirage in Las Vegas for the Management Associate Program (MAP). The Management Associate Program (MAP) is a six-month, hands-on training experience designed for recent college graduates. These candidates must possess sufficient skills, both academically and through work experience, to meet the challenges and demands of management. MAP is specifically designed to help build future generations of leaders in the MGM Mirage Company and provides participants with an unparalleled training and mentoring experience.
Joseph Quintana '08 has been selected for the Marriott's Management Development Program (MDP), a self-paced, individual development program designed to provide entry-level Marriott managers with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their jobs and provide exceptional guest service. This program helps develop discipline-specific technical skills needed to be proficient in the job, and the management skills needed to ensure a successful career with Marriott as an assistant department manager. He will be assigned to the Renaissance Nashville Hotel adjacent to the Nashville Convention Center.
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
FIU hospitality dean discusses program in China - by Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald)
FIU hospitality dean discusses program in China - by Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald)
The outgoing dean of FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management talks about the school's program in China.
When he sat down with Business Monday, Joe West was getting ready for a triumphant return to China. The outgoing dean of Florida International University's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management would leave the next day for Tianjin, home of FIU's new hospitality school. Built by the Chinese government but staffed by the North Miami school, it graduates its first class of 29 students this year.
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Spring 2008 Graduating Class, Tianjin, China
Spring 2008 Graduating Class, Tianjin, China
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Pure New Zealand Cuisine
"Pure New Zealand Cuisine" sponsored a special culinary demonstration here at FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management on Monday March 31, 2008. Chef Graham Brown shared the secrets of some signature New Zealand dishes featuring four New Zealand natural products: Cervena Venison, New Zealand Lamb; New Zealand grass-fed Beef, and Zespri Kiwifruit. Our School has featured New Zealand Cervena Venison at the FIU Exhibit at South Beach Wine and Food Festival for the past three years. FIU student, Alex Blanco, received the Cervena scholarship award.
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Advanced Cooking Class, Tianjin China. Lead by Chef Instructor Andrew Lyman
Advanced Cooking Class, Tianjin China. Lead by Chef Instructor Andrew Lyman
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
2008 South Beach Wine and Food Festival Slideshow
2008 South Beach Wine and Food Festival Slideshow
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Barry Gump
Barry Gump, professor of oenology, lifts a glass of deep purple wine to his favorite nostril, the left one. He takes a long, careful sniff and pronounces: "I get raspberries, big ripe fruit, maybe even prunes.''
''Let's have a toast,'' calls out one of his students. ``Hurrah for Professor Gump!''
''And hurrah for FIU wine,'' Gump replies, beaming.
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
Alex Kuk '04 and chef Michael Moran '86 MS '03
Alex Kuk '04 and chef Michael Moran '86 MS '03, an instructor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and SoBe culinary coordinator, flank Giada De Laurentiis at the 3rd Annual Tiger Woods' Benefit in Los Angeles.
Kuk currently is pursuing a master's degree in hospitality and tourism management and wants to be a master chef. He began working with the festival as a sophomore, an opportunity he calls "the opportunity for any hospitality student. The festival is the best class - you get experience in every aspect."
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |
His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong
His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong, the ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States, is an experienced diplomat who has helped shape China's relationship with the United States in various roles dating back to the 1980s. He was appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary for the People's Republic of China to the United States in 2005. On Tuesday, January 29, 2008, His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong visited FIU at the University Park campus. He delivered a speech entitled, "The Peaceful Development of China and its Relations with the United States"
Click here for more information 28 May 2008 20:07:15 EDT |